Legal System of Iceland

Iceland is located in Europe. It is geographically situated in northern europe, island between the greenland sea and the north atlantic ocean, northwest of the united kingdom. The country achieved independence on 1 december 1918 (became a sovereign state under the danish crown); 17 june 1944 (from denmark; birthday of jon sigurdsson, leader of iceland’s 19th-century independence movement). The capital is Reykjavik.

Government Overview

Government Type: unitary parliamentary republic Chief of State: President Halla TOMASDOTTIR (since 1 August 2024) Head of Government: Prime Minister Kristrun FROSTADOTTIR (since 21 December 2024) Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the prime minister Administrative Divisions: 64 municipalities (sveitarfelog, singular - sveitarfelagidh); Akranes, Akureyri, Arneshreppur, Asahreppur, Blaskogabyggdh, Bolungarvik, Borgarbyggdh, Dalabyggdh, Dalvikurbyggdh, Eyjafjardharsveit, Eyja-og Miklaholtshreppur, Fjallabyggdh, Fjardhabyggdh, Fljotsdalshreppur, Floahreppur, Gardhabaer, Grimsnes-og Grafningshreppur, Grindavikurbaer, Grundarfjardharbaer, Grytubakkahreppur, Hafnarfjordhur, Horgarsveit, Hrunamannahreppur, Hunathing Vestra, Hunabyggdh, Hvalfjardharsveit, Hveragerdhi, Isafjardharbaer, Kaldrananeshreppur, Kjosarhreppur, Kopavogur, Langanesbyggdh, Mosfellsbaer, Mulathing, Myrdalshreppur, Nordhurthing, Rangarthing Eystra, Rangarthing Ytra, Reykholahreppur, Reykjanesbaer, Reykjavik, Seltjarnarnes, Skaftarhreppur, Skagabyggdh, Skagafjordhur, Skeidha-og Gnupverjahreppur, Skorradalshreppur, Snaefellsbaer, Strandabyggdh, Stykkisholmur, Sudhavikurhreppur, Sudhurnesjabaer, Svalbardhsstrandarhreppur, Sveitarfelagidh Arborg, Sveitarfelagidh Hornafjordhur, Sveitarfelagidh Olfus, Sveitarfelagidh Skagastrond, Sveitarfelagidh Vogar, Talknafjardharhreppur, Thingeyjarsveit, Tjorneshreppur, Vestmannaeyjar, Vesturbyggdh, Vopnafjardharhreppur National Holiday: Independence Day, 17 June (1944) Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal System

The legal system of Iceland is described as civil law system influenced by the Danish model International Law: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Constitutional Framework

The constitution has the following history: several previous; latest ratified 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 (at independence) Amendment Process: proposed by the Althingi; passage requires approval by the Althingi and by the next elected Althingi, and confirmation by the president of the republic; proposed amendments to Article 62 of the constitution – that the Evangelical Lutheran Church shall be the state church of Iceland – also require passage by referendum

Judicial Branch

Highest Court(s): Supreme Court or Haestirettur (consists of 7 judges) Judge Selection: judges proposed by Ministry of Interior selection committee and appointed by the president for an indefinite period Subordinate Courts: Appellate Court or Landsrettur; 8 district courts; Labor Court

Legislative Branch

The legislative structure consists of unicameral

Citizenship and Suffrage

Citizenship by Birth: no Citizenship by Descent: at least one parent must be a citizen of Iceland Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Historical Background

Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world’s oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althingi, which was established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine.

This article provides a summary of the legal system and governmental structure of Iceland based on the CIA World Factbook. The Factbook is a public domain publication of the United States Central Intelligence Agency.